


The Starks Send Their Regards

by HearMyFury790



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Season 8 Rewrite, and the sequel we could have gotten, for obvious reasons, the ending we deserved
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-26
Updated: 2019-09-03
Packaged: 2020-05-20 09:10:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19373653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HearMyFury790/pseuds/HearMyFury790
Summary: For years, they've been waiting for this moment. Since the day they were born, they were trained for this moment. After so many year, they could finally exact revenge on their family. The North Remembers. And the Lannisters would feel the bite of a Direwolf.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, here’s a new one for you. A Stark OC storyline, sort of. A little explanation for this one. In the books Catelyn and Ned had sex after Robert’s feast and Catelyn prayed that they had conceived a son. In this story her prayer came true. So I’m making her about 34 at the beginning of this story. This first chapter basically details how everyone came to be in this place in time, also it takes place 20 years after the series. And there’s a bunch of other OCs as well as our Stark ones. This first chapter details what happened in those 20 years. So with that out of the way, let’s get started.

**300 A.C.**

Catelyn couldn’t bear to hear the news. When she heard that Robb had died at the Twins she had never felt so much sadness in her life. Her only solace were her babies.

After Robert’s feast at Winterfell, she and Ned made love for the last time. Her prayer had been answered. She had conceived and bore twins. A dark haired grey eyed boy she named Rickard after Ned’s father and an auburn-haired blue-eyed daughter she named Serena. She had found out she was pregnant when she reached White Harbor after her “visit” with her sister. She was absolutely ecstatic, but when she reached Robb’s camp he advised her to hide her pregnancy in case the Lannisters caught wind.

She gave birth to the children at Riverrun where she was crying tears of joy at having two more children to love and cherish. She raised them all the way through the war, hearing about the news around the Kingdoms. Renly was king, now he was dead. Stannis is king, but he lost at Blackwater. Now Robb is planning to go North, now he was betrayed and murdered.

However, what the Boltons and the Freys didn’t know, is that Robb left behind 10,000 men, a combination of Northerners and Riverlords to defend his heirs, over half of them cavalry. He also left behind his sworn swords and some of his lords including Rickard Karstark and Greatjon Umber to guard the little prince and princess which Catelyn now refers to as the Wolfguard.

Her uncle Brynden was the one to tell her the news. He urged her to be strong for her new children. Rickard was now the heir to the North and the next King in the North Catelyn started telling them to prepare for the march to Winterfell to avenge their King and take back the North from the treacherous Boltons. One other thing she ordered was the death of Jaime Lannister. As she was in Riverrun and spent more time with her children she didn’t even think to release the Kingslayer. As Tywin had murdered her son she would execute his. Rickard Karstark executed the order for vengeance for his sons and Catelyn sent his head back to King’s Landing. She warned the Lannisters that this is the price they pay for their treachery.

Before the Freys could mount their assault on Riverrun, Brynden led an attack and crushed the Frey forces some 2,000 strong. They even took back Edmure who was a hostage. Eventually they left about 500 men to hold Riverrun and took the remaining 10,000 men to retake Winterfell. They were joined by the Brotherhood without Banners, led by Beric Dondarrion and Gendry, Robert Baratheon’s last surviving son who told Cat that Arya was alive.

First was the Twins, they shot down every raven they were sending for help. Eventually they were joined by Ser Perwyn Frey, his sister and Edmure’s wife Roslin and finally Robb’s squire, Olyvar Frey. They told her that they had nothing to do with the Red Wedding and they were against it but their father imprisoned them to prevent them from warning Robb and told Roslin to do as she’s told or there would be consequences. Since Catelyn trusts these three Freys and with Roslin with child herself she let them back in. And since they had no more hostages, they breached the castle which was not as heavily garrisoned as Walder had sent 2,000 men north with Roose Bolton. The castle fell with ease and each Frey was either put to the sword or forced to be sent to the Silent Sisters or the Wall. The Lannister Freys were the few unfortunate casualties.

Afterwards, they received word that Knights of the Vale were approaching. Catelyn feared the worst until she saw her daughter Sansa at their head. Both of them were weeping with joy. Catelyn asked Sansa what she was doing there. She told her the whole story of how Baelish had smuggled her out of King’s Landing after Joffrey’s death and planned for Robin to die so that she could marry her new husband Lord Harrold Arryn. She also told her that they didn’t have to worry about Baelish anymore as he is now dead. Executed for his crimes against the Vale and the North. Her husband brought 20,000 men from the Vale to help reclaim the North in Sansa’s name. However Catelyn then reveals that she was pregnant and she gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl. This took Sansa by surprise and she was even happier when she met her new siblings.

The eventual march to the North went smoothly. They dealt with the Bolton garrison at Moat Cailan with ease and decided to deal with the Bolton’s allies first. Brynden led 6,000 men against Houses Dustin and Stout while Harrold and Lord Yohn Royce led 9,000 Knights of the Vale to take the Ryswell lands. Both parties succeeded and the Glenmores now ruled the Ryswell lands and the Dustin lands were split for both Glenmore and Tallhart lands.

It was then they heard about Stannis Baratheon’s victory at Deepwood Motte. Catelyn decided to make an alliance with him to have his aid in taking back Winterfell. She sent her uncle Brynden, Lord Rodrik Forrester, and Lord Yohn Royce to treat with Stannis. Both parties came to an agreement that they would be allies for now, and that when Stannis won the throne then they would discus the terms of the North.

Both armies came together against the Boltons at Winterfell. After fierce fighting which lasted for hours the Boltons were routed and Winterfell was retaken. Catelyn allowed Stannis to burn Roose Bolton and his bastard alive for their crimes against her son. Then she discovered a horrible truth. Her son Rickon was alive but the Boltons had captured him and killed him, feeding his body to the dogs. Catelyn felt distraught, but she remembered again, she had two more children to cherish. She would make them all count.

The war however was far from over. In the south, Cersei Lannister had gone completely mad destroying the Sept of Baelor with wildfire, killing the Tyrells and members of her family to sit herself on the throne. This act didn’t surprise Catelyn, nor Sansa. But there was something that did surprise them. Jon Snow had come down from Castle Black with a wildling army to help defend the North. Catelyn and Sansa asked him why he left the Night’s Watch to which he said his brothers killed him and he was resurrected by Melisandre, Stannis’ red priestess. Unfortunately Stannis daughter Shireen was burned at the stake because they needed her king’s blood to resurrect him. She has since then never been seen. Eventually they all came to an agreement that Catelyn, Sansa and Jon would rule as regents until Rickard came of age.

The war however was far from over. Daenerys Targaryen had landed in Westeros with a large army and three dragons. Jon volunteered to have her ally with them to have her help them against the Army of the Dead. Eventually Jon, Daenerys, Cersei and Stannis came to an agreement that they would hold off their forces and focus on the army of the dead. However Catelyn advised Stannis to warn the other houses in case Cersei changes her mind.

All of their forces met at Winterfell. After some time the Army of the Dead breached the Wall. After days of fighting the Army of the Dead was defeated but at heavy cost. Many of the great lords lost their lives. Stannis died saving a wounded Jon Snow from the Night King with Lightbringer, but the sword merely shattered but it gave Jon enough time to stab the Night King in the heart killing him and the Army of the Dead. Cat’s uncle Brynden was killed in the fighting, as was her brother Edmure. Many other lords were killed as well.

But then they learned a horrible truth, Cersei had not committed her armies here, she had the Golden Company take some of the lands from their allies. Thankfully due to Stannis sending out ravens some were able to repel the attacks, others were not so lucky. Euron Greyjoy, Cersei’s new husband tried to take the North but the dragons that remained, Drogon and Rhaegal burned his fleet and himself to the ground. Many other attempts were made to take the North and the other lands but they all failed. Eventually Cersei decided to give up, saying that as long as they don’t rebel and she keeps the throne and her new son, Gerold, who would sit on it one day, then there would be peace. Cat knew it would be unlikely but after the battles for the North, she decided to bide her time, help her son build up the armies of the North while Sansa and her husband build up the Vale’s armies, her nephew, Edmure’s son Hoster, build up the Riverland armies, Gendry Baratheon, the new lord of Storm’s End and Arya, whom Gendry had married, build up his armies and finally Yara Greyjoy build up her armies. Together with hopefully the other houses in the Seven Kingdoms, they would take back the Iron Throne. Because unbeknownst to the Lannisters, Daenerys and Jon, who was revealed to be the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark, had a son. Daenerys died in childbirth, but not before she named her child. A silver haired boy she named Daeron, after Jon’s hero, the Young Dragon. They kept them hidden for the next twenty years, away from the prying eyes of Cersei Lannister. But eventually Cersei died mysteriously in her sleep. Her son Gerold Lannister had ascended the throne, but it would not be for long. For the wolves of Winterfell would be coming. And Gerold will find out, the Lannisters aren’t the only ones who pay their debts.


	2. Rickard I

The day had finally come. News from the capital had been brought to the Great Hall of Winterfell. Almost twenty years of careful planning have finally come together. It was time for the Starks of Winterfell and all those who suffered at the Lannisters hands get their justice.

Rickard Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North sat at the table of the Great Hall of Winterfell. To his left sat his wife Alys Karstark, Lady of Winterfell. Alys was the eldest daughter of Harrion Karstark, named after her aunt who had died in childbirth. They wed about a year ago as Alys was 13 when the betrothal took place and Rickard was 16, so they decided to wait until Alys came of age. Rickard and Alys both loved each other deeply, and their union was a perfect match as it strengthened the Stark bloodline by uniting Houses Stark and Karstark.

To Rickard’s right sat Daeron Targaryen, the rightful king of the Seven Kingdoms. Daeron was his second cousin, his father was Rickard’s first cousin Jon Snow, or as he’s now known as Prince Jaehaerys Targaryen, son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark and his mother was Queen Daenerys Targaryen daughter of Aerys II. Daeron had been hidden in the North for the next 18 years of his life. It had been near twenty years since the Great War had ended when Daeron’s father had killed the Night King and ended the Second-Long Night. Daeron’s mother was pregnant with him and eventually gave birth before dying moments later. Rickard remembered very little about Daenerys or Jon for that matter, he was barely a name day old when he met them and they had both died not long after. He remembered Daenerys smile and her laugh and Jon’s brooding, but not much else.

Behind him stood Brienne of Tarth, his mother’s sworn shield who is now sworn to him. She wielded the Valyrian steel sword Oathkeeper, which was reforged from his father’s sword Ice. But he had Longclaw, the sword of his cousin Jon. He wanted to give it to Daeron, but when they discovered that the Golden Company had Blackfyre, the Valyrian steel sword of House Targaryen and it was now in their possession as well as Dark Sister, which was found at Castle Black in Maester Aemon’s room in a secret chamber, Rickard decided to keep Longclaw. But he said that when Brienne passed, he would give Longclaw to his second son, who would be Master of Moat Cailan. He would get Oathkeeper. Though since Gerold Lannister, son of the Mad Queen Cersei, had the other half of his father’s sword he would reclaim that one and melt it back into Ice.

As he sat in the Great Hall of Winterfell, he looked over many of the lords there. He saw the banners of Karstark, Umber, Mormont, Tallhart, Glover, Manderly, Forrester, Glenmore and many more. In the years since the Long Night ended, a bunch of wildling tribes had been integrated into the North. One of those being House Giantsbane. They ruled at the Dreadfort, formerly the home of House Bolton but now it had been renamed, The Giant’s Castle. The Thenns were given lands in the Gift as Sigorn had married Alys Karstark Harrion’s sister and founded House Thenn. Their castle was called the Magnar.

Rickard had already sent ravens to his other families houses, including his cousin, Hoster Tully, son of his uncle Edmure Tully, Lord of Riverrun, his sister Sansa and her husband Harrold Arryn Lord of the Vale, his other sister Arya and her husband Gendry Baratheon Lord of Storm’s End and finally Lady Yara Greyjoy of the Iron Islands. It had been a tough twenty years for all of them. They had all lost family members close to them, but they used that sadness and anger to build up their armies and their fleets.

The North alone had ninety thousand troops though Rickard was only taking about forty thousand. About ten thousand of them were cavalry and the rest were well trained and well disciplined. It helped a bit to be trained by the remaining Unsullied who stayed there to protect Daeron. Grey Worm, the commander of the Unsullied had survived the Great War and vowed to protect Daenerys’ son by any means necessary. He and about two thousand Unsullied remained in Daenerys’ army. The Dothraki on the other hand, they left after their Khaleesi died. Rickard was a bit disappointed that they left, he could have really used them. Even the North had a fleet of their own, some two hundred ships, mostly warships. The plan was for most of the armies to meet at Moat Cailan save for the Stormlands.

In the Vale, Sansa and her husband Harrold Arryn of the Vale had gathered about thirty thousand troops as well. Even though they could raise more, the winters were harsher on them, due to the mountainous regions. But they had a formidable army and not only that, Jon Arryn, Sansa and Harrold’s son and heir would be joining them, despite Sansa worrying that he isn’t ready. The remaining army consisted of twenty-five thousand troops to hold the Vale against the Lannisters. They were heading down the Kingsroad and headed North to meet with Rickard’s forces at Moat Cailan.

The Iron Islands under Yara Greyjoy was doing fairly well with their forces. Though she couldn’t raise any more than twenty thousand troops due to the sparse population of the islands she was able to build a fleet of one thousand ships. It took years to build specifically for warships instead of longships. Yara had learned from her ancestors mistake. Longships were built for shore raids and sailing up the rivers. The warships on the other hand, were built to be able to endure the toughest of sea warfare. Yara waited for the order from the Starks and Targaryens to prepare her fleet.

In the Riverlands, Hoster Tully, Rickard’s cousin, was busy preparing his forces as well. They had increased over the years, bolstering their numbers to about fifty thousand strong, though Hoster was only bringing twenty thousand of those forces. He also trained his soldiers to be able to fight well as from what he had heard what the Lannisters did to his father, he would not be taken off-guard like him. He would be ready for whatever the Lannisters threw at him.

In the Stormlands, Lord Gendry Baratheon and Lady Arya Stark, Rickard’s sister had gathered some thirty thousand men. They like the others had bolstered their numbers as well, to about sixty thousand. Gendry had been trained by a man by the name of Jon Connington who was the Hand to Aerys until he was beaten by Gendry’s father, Robert Baratheon, at the Battle of the Bells. Connington had hated the Baratheons ever since, but when he was told by Varys, who had survived the Great War as well as his spy network, that Daenerys had children of her own and that Gendry would not be pursuing the Iron Throne as he had bent the knee, Connington decided to put aside his hatred and train Gendry as well as he could. As it turned out, Gendry quickly won the old man over and the two of them became close. Connington treated Gendry as if he were his own son, he treated him this way until his death two years ago.

Rickard then stood up to address the room.

“My Lords, my Ladies. Today is the day. The Mad Queen Cersei Lannister is dead. Her mad son, Gerold Lannister now sits the Iron Throne. The throne my cousin Daeron should be sitting on. The throne that his mother and father should have sat on after the Great War. Today, that all changes. For too long, we have been oppressed by our enemies. By those who ordered the Freys and the Boltons to kill my brother, Robb Stark. The Lannisters have been the evil that my family has sought to extinguish ever since the mad bastard king Joffrey Waters murdered my father. For too long the Lannisters have ruled the Seven Kingdoms. They seek to destroy us. That will never happen again. We will destroy House Lannister from existence down to the last child, as Tywin Lannister did to the Reynes and Tarbecks decades ago. House Lannister’s days are numbered. They will know the snows of Winter, the Fire of the Dragons, and the might of a Wolf’s teeth. We march against the Lannisters to seat the rightful king of the Seven Kingdoms on the throne. Daeron of Houses Targaryen and Stark!”

The whole room went in an uproar. Shouts of “Daeron!” and “Targaryen!” and “The North Remembers!” were heard throughout the room. Daeron stood up and put his hand up to silence the room.

“Thank you, Lord Stark. I am grateful for your support. And for the many houses that support me as well. Stark, Tully, Arryn, Baratheon, Greyjoy. With these and my dragons I will win the throne, overthrow the Lannisters, and bring a new age of peace and prosperity. One where there will be no wars fought and the land will be as it was during the days of my ancestor, Jaehaerys I, and I will ensure that day never ends. But I cannot do this alone. As a king I plan to continue my line, and to do that I must have a queen. And I have chosen one by my side. Lady Serena Stark, my cousin. To strengthen our blood ties and to cement my rule, I will marry her to unite the houses behind me. She shares blood with the houses that support me. She will be my queen from this day until my last day.”

The lords and ladies cheered even louder, with many crying for Serena and Daeron as their king and queen. Indeed, this match was made years ago, but Serena didn’t want to marry him unless he could convince her to do so. As it turns out, it took a few years before he finally proved himself worthy of her. Serena was always a strong-willed woman, though she did not love fighting, she was strong with her mind. The two loved each other fiercely, and it reminded Rickard of the stories of his mother and father, how they took a while before they loved each other, building it up year by year. Rickard felt the same about Alys, there was love there too, but he felt it wasn’t strong enough for him, maybe with their new child growing inside Alys would help things. That’s what his mother said when she gave birth to his sister Sansa. After that, she and his father knew at that moment.

Speaking of which, he went to go find his mother. She had not attended the meeting, she already knew what was going to happen. He found her in the Godswood. She said she always felt like an outsider whenever she was there, but after everything, she said she felt more like a Stark than a Tully. He found her by the Heart tree. Catelyn Stark now at age five and fifty was still considered to be a beauty in the North. Her hair still retained that auburn coloring, but it was beginning to grey. That didn’t matter to Rickard, she was his mother. She cared for him, his brother and his sister ever since they were born at Riverrun all those years back. Sometime later, his mother would tell him he was just like Robb, as that was how he lived. Born at Riverrun, raised at Winterfell, only this time, Rickard vowed he would live a lot longer than his brother. Rickard went up to his mother.

“Mother?” He called out quietly. His mother turned around and gave him a small smile.

“My son. Come join me.” She patted the area next to her. Rickard took a seat.

“So, you heard the news?” He asked.

“Yes.” His mother replied.

“Cersei is dead. Gerold rules in King’s Landing now. He sent us a letter demanding we come to the capital to bend the knee and swear fealty. Daeron is preparing to march to King’s Landing. Which means I’m refusing.” He said. His mother nodded.

“And your sisters?”

“Serena’s marrying Daeron tonight, you know that. Sansa and Harry are gathering their forces. Same with Arya and Gendry. Sansa’s meeting us down at Moat Cailan. After Daeron and Serena’s wedding, we’re marching.” His mother looked to be deep in thought.

“How many men are you bringing with you?” His mother asked.

“Forty thousand. A lot more than what Robb brought from what you’ve told me. It’s a good thing you’ve been building up the armies of the North while I was still in swaddling clothes.” He and his mother chuckled. “I’ll have ten thousand horses with me. The rest are infantry, archers, pikemen.” He trailed off.

“And your commanders?”

“Well, I took a page out Robb’s book from what you’ve told me. I’m splitting up my forces. I’ll be in charge of the horse, and Daeron will be in charge of the rest. This time, I’m not depending on my own bannermen, but rather my own family. Of course I answer to Daeron though this time, rather than myself like Robb.” His mother nodded approvingly.

“Good, you’ve learned from my past mistake. I was foolish thinking Roose Bolton would be a match for Tywin Lannister. Instead he had Northmen killed and his own men survive so he would betray your brother in the end.”

“And that’s what I’ll be looking out for when we face the Lannisters.” His mother turned to him shocked. “I know. I shouldn’t be thinking that, but it’s true. Even the most honorable men can be turned for the right price. Look at the lords of the Vale, they turned their backs on Robb when he needed them most. If he had them, perhaps he could have won the war. But he didn’t. ‘As High as Honor’ ha! Sansa’s done good work on them, she’s taught them what it means to turn your back on family, they’ll never turn against us again.” His mother nodded.

“You’re right, sometimes the best men can be corrupted, but only by those who are already corrupted. I made the mistake of trusting a man like Littlefinger and it cost me my family. I will not let that happen again.”

“ _We_ won’t.” They both smiled at each other.

“I will admit, I am afraid for you. Even though you have fought before I’m still afraid.” She said.

It was true, Rickard had fought in a battle before, well it was more of a skirmish. Two years ago, some band of rebels from the remnants of the Golden Company had tried to attack the North. Rickard led a force of twelve thousand men, with three thousand cavalry to engage them. They were beaten back and Rickard sent a letter demanding the queen answer this, but she told them they had nothing to do with it. Rickard knew better so he decided to reinforce all around the coasts of the North as well as Moat Cailan. The ancient fortress was repaired and reinforced with five thousand men to defend the North by any means necessary. It could hold against both the south end and the north end.

“I know. But at least I know what I’m getting myself into. I won’t be like Robb. I’ll be better. I hope.”

“You will. I know it.” She said strongly.

“How old was Robb when he went off to war for father?”

“Almost seventeen. You’re older, but you’ve actually fought before. You know what you’re doing.”

“Thank you mother. Do you think… either of them would be proud of me?” His mother seemed to know what he meant.

“Oh my boy. Your father and your brother would be so proud of the man you’ve become. And I will tell you right now, they will not condemn you for your next actions.”

“Yes. I plan on wiping out House Lannister from the face of the earth. If Tyrion were alive I’d have him be Lord of Casterly Rock.”

“I know.” His mother said. Tyrion Lannister was with Daenerys when she came to defend the North from the Others. He stayed in the North for a time, before dying peacefully in his sleep four years ago. Rickard liked him, he was funny and smart. He taught him and Daeron a lot about how to play the game. He served as a sort of surrogate uncle to them, to all of them, even though it was a bit awkward for Rickard when he found out, technically he was his brother-by-law with his marriage to Sansa, until Tyrion told him it was unconsummated and he had it annulled. Rickard turned back to his mother.

“But, this is the path I have chosen. I must see it through to the end.”

“Yes my son. Your brother told me after your father died, that he would kill them all. I told him we had to get the girls back and then we would kill them all. Now, your sisters are back, the Lannisters have no hostages. You know what must be done.” She said.

“I will kill them all.” Rickard said strongly. And it would happen. The Lions would face the might of the Wolf, the Falcon, the Stag, the Kraken, and finally, the Dragon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so we have our first POV in Rickard to get into his mindset. This is how I will be doing chapters for this story. Although when it comes to battles, it will be split into several different POVs. And for a bit of explanation the year is 319 A.C. I know I said in the prologue that it was 300 it’s technically still 299 A.C. at the start of the story so, I’m being a bit lenient on the timeline, point is, almost 20 years have passed and all the big events happened in the year 300 A.C. Also I’ll list some of the ages of the characters from the original story like Cat, Sansa, Arya etc. so, here’s my best estimate. Catelyn-Age 54, Sansa-Age 35, Arya-Age 33, Brienne-Age 40, Gendry-Age 36, Harrold-Age 39, Yara-Age 44. That’s it for now. I hope you all enjoyed this. Reviews are welcome.


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